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Plasterer Mr
Moulsdale had left the car running as he nipped out to knock on a door
about a job. Seconds later the opportunist thief had jumped behind the
wheel and began a three-point turn.

Hairdresser
Ms Waine said: 'My head was just spinning, I just wanted my baby back.
It was cold and dark and icy and I thought that I may never see him
again. I kept thinking surely he would not hurt a baby, surely not, but I
just didn't know.'

Around 15 minutes later, Merseyside
Police was informed by an anonymous call from a telephone box of a baby
being left in an abandoned car near the Billinge Arms pub in Billinge,
three miles away.

Parents: Ms Waine and Thomas Moulsdale (right), also 24, frantically searched the area until a call came through 15 minutes later to tell them the car had been found with Leo (left) inside unharmed

Together: Louise Waine said she had thought she may have never seen baby Leo again until he was recovered

Getaway: Leo Moulsdale was in the back of the family Subaru Impreza (file picture) when the suspect jumped in

Ms Waine said: 'When I got there I just
ran over to the car without my shoes and took him out of the seat and
cuddled him. I couldn't believe it, I was just so thankful he had been
found and it hadn't been too long.'

I just ran over to the car without my shoes and took him out of the seat and cuddled him. I couldn't believe it, I was just so thankful he had been found

Louise Waine, mother of Leo Mousldale

She added: 'Leo is my everything, I can't even begin to imagine what could have happened.

'I was trying to keep myself together when I picked him up and cuddled him but broke down in tears.'

Detective Constable Brendan Greally of Greater Manchester Police said: 'We are urging anyone who saw the incident, or who witnessed the car being abandoned in Billinge to call police.'

The thief was described as a white man in his 20s, wearing a dark bob hat, a dark hooded top and lighter coloured trousers or tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with information on the incident involving Leo Moulsdale is asked to call police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111